Mubarak reads Obama’s Cairo speech for what it essentially was: an invitation to the Islamic world to step up the jihad, especially efforts to destroy Israel, the state that is on the front line of that jihad.
His piece here in the dhimmi rag known as the Wall Street Journal is notable in several respects. One is that he calls upon Israel to halt its “relentless settlement expansion,” and end “its closure of Gaza.” And what must the Palestinian Arabs do? Why, all they have to do is “continue to develop their institutional capacity while overcoming their division to achieve their aspirations for statehood.” In other words, Fatah and Hamas should stop squabbling with each other and concentrate on their common enemy, the Israelis. Does Mubarak say anything about ending the rocket attacks, or recognizing Israel, or ending the jihad to destroy Israel utterly? Of course he doesn’t.
He also says that “the Arab side stands ready to reciprocate serious steps towards peace undertaken by Israel.” On that the Elder of Ziyon points out a few uncomfortable facts:
In 2006, 92% of Egyptians considered Israel to be Egypt’s “worst enemy.” Only this month, Egypt banned marriages between Egyptians and Arab women with Israeli citizenship. Egypt ignored the 30th anniversary of the peace agreement with Israel. Other incidents show Egypt’s implacable hostility towards Israel and towards real normalization.
Serious steps toward peace? Only in a jihadist framework.
“How to Achieve Israeli-Palestinian Peace: The outlines of the settlement are obvious,” by Hosni Mubarak in the Wall Street Journal, June 19 (thanks to Elder of Ziyon):
President Barack Obama’s seminal address in Cairo marked a turning point in America’s relations with the Muslim world. His message was clear and incontrovertible: It is issues of politics and policy, not a clash of values, that separate the Muslim world and America. It is the resolution of these issues that will heal the divide.
The ambitious agenda outlined by President Obama must now be followed by forward-looking steps in order to chart a new course in America’s relationship with the Arab and Muslim world. I look forward to working with the president to achieve that objective….
Egypt has long been at the forefront of confronting these challenges, whether in being the first to extend our hand for peace with Israel, addressing the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, or confronting the threat of terrorism through the moderation and tolerance at the heart of our religious heritage. Through these challenges and beyond, Egypt has engaged in a process of reform that is succeeding in providing greater opportunities for our youth, more empowerment for women, as well as greater pluralism and internal debate. We openly acknowledge that this process still has a way to go in fulfilling our aspirations….
Despite the setbacks of the last few years, it is important to remember that many of the elements of a solution have already been negotiated. After nearly two decades of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations since the initiation of the Oslo peace process, many of the details of a final settlement are well known. Furthermore, the Arab Peace Initiative, adopted at the Beirut summit of 2002, provides a regional framework for such a settlement. For the first time in the history of the conflict, the Arab states unanimously committed to full normalization and security for Israel in exchange for a full withdrawal to the 1967 lines and a negotiated resolution of the Palestinian refugee issue….
These steps must now be joined with a serious process to negotiate a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The priority should be to resolve the permanent borders of a sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian state, based on the 1967 lines, as this would unlock most of the other permanent status issues, including settlements, security, water and Jerusalem.
Success of these negotiations will depend on firm commitments from both sides to uphold the credibility of the process. Israel’s relentless settlement expansion, which has seriously eroded the prospects for a two-state solution, must cease, together with its closure of Gaza. For their part, the Palestinians must continue to develop their institutional capacity while overcoming their division to achieve their aspirations for statehood.
While full normalization with Israel can only result from a comprehensive settlement including the Syrian, Lebanese as well as Palestinian track, the Arab side stands ready to reciprocate serious steps towards peace undertaken by Israel.
A historic settlement is within reach, one that would give the Palestinians their state and freedom from occupation while granting Israel recognition and security to live in peace. With President Obama’s reassertion of U.S. leadership in the region, a rare moment of opportunity presents itself. Egypt stands ready to seize that moment, and I am confident that the Arab world will do the same.